Yarn handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for driving individual selected driving rollers in a multi-station textile machine wherein the rollers are shiftable longitudinally between a braking position and an accelerating position on a main drive shaft.

United States Patent Ritter June 13, 1972 [54] YARN HANDLING APPARATUS[56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Helmut Ruler, Wattwil, Switzerland[73] Assignee: Heberlein Patent Corporation, New York, UNITED STATESPATENTS NY. 3,428,233 2/1969 Hokkinen ..226/188 X 7, Wales, X [2 1]Appl. No.: 52,787 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney-Ward,McElhannon, Brooks & Fitzpatrick [30] Foreign Application Priority Data[57] ABSTRACT July 8, Switzerland Apparatus for selected driving tonersin a multi-station textile machine wherein the rollers are shiftableU-so s i a an [51] Int. Cl. ..Gl lb 19/22 position on a main drive shaft[58] Field oiSearch ..226/188, 145, 146, 147, 174,

226/179; 192/ 14 11 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure YARN HANDLING APPARATUSThis invention relates to apparatus for driving individual selecteddrive rollers at processing stations of a multi-station textile machinewherein the delivery devices for all stations are driven by a commondrive shaft, each delivery device comprising a driving roller fixed onthe shaft, the advancement of the threads, yarns or ply-yarns beingeffected between these driving rollers and the delivery rollers, thelatter receiving the rotation of the driving rollers by friction.

In order to thread the yarn, eg after a cop has been exchanged or afterthread breakage, the advance roller must be removed from the driveroller. In so doing, the delivery roller is immobilized, whereas thedrive roller, in the devices known up to now, continued to rotate withunvaried speed. The delivery roller, therefore, had to be brought intocontact again with this still rotating drive roller after threading ofthe yarn.

In industry nowadays, equipment is required which can thread yarns orthreads into delivery devices having advancing speeds of between 500 and1,000 meters per minute without causing any difficulties; and threadingshould be possible with a running as well as with an immobile thread oryarn.

A further difficulty with the abovementioned high advance speeds of 500meters per minute and more, consists in that the driving rollers tendreadily to vibrate on the drive shafts which cause the delivery rollersto be lifted away from the driving rollers; this occurs particularly inall systems wherein the delivery roller is self-supporting or pressedagainst the drive roller by means of springs. This vibration causesinterruptions in yarn delivery.

Furthermore, the sudden contact of the immobile delivery roller with thedrive roller rotating at high speed may cause a change in the structureof the yarn passing between the two rollers, or, even worse, may cause arupture of the yarn.

Application Ser. No. 745,017 filed July 15th, 1968 of the same applicantdeals with the problem of providing an apparatus for the feed ordelivery of threads, yarns or ply-yarns into textile machines, which, inthis particular case, is a singlepoint roller delivery device whichmakes possible soft adaptation of the revolution speed of a drivingroller to a delivery roller of a delivery mechanism while the threadsare moving before both rollers enter into pressure contact with the yarnrunning between them, and without adversely influencing the yarn.Thereby, the applicant has resolved the problem of constant pressurebetween the driving and the delivery roller as well as that of avoidingdisturbing vibrations, and, furthermore, the problem of threadingthreads, yarns or ply-yarns while the material is advanced without anydifficulty.

A further problem has now to be resolved which consists in creating anapparatus for the drawing off of endless yarns of all types and of anearly unlimited titer range and delivery speeds of more than and up tomore than 1,000 meters per minute which apparatus permits selectiveimmobilization of individual processing stations of a machine whereinthe remaining stations of the machine can continue to operate normally.Particularly, there is a need for apparatus by which immobile threads,even of extremely low titers, can be softly and gradually accelerated tohigh speeds and to the normal operating speed of the machine.

Accordingly, I have conceived apparatus of the class described by whichI am able to overcome the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages.Thus, I contribute apparatus for operation at selected individualstations of multi-station textile machine wherein the yarn deliverydevices of all stations are driven by a common drive shaft each deliverydevice consisting of a rotatable driving roller as well as of a deliveryroller which may be disengaged from the moving surface of the driveroller and brought into linear contact with the same and which, by meansof resilient devices coupled with the latter, exercise a constantpressure the amount of which is not limited, but may not be influencedmanually, characterized in that a rotating ring supported for rotationand axial displacement on a hub engagingly connected with a drive shaftof a driving mechanism may be brought selectively into contact with acoupling disc effecting rotational acceleration of the same or with abraking disc efi'ecting its immobilization by means of a rotatablecoupling ring effecting axial movement thereof. The construction is suchthat the rotating and axial movement of the coupling ring may beadjusted.

The coupling ring may be formed with a knurled or profiled surface forengagement by a resiliently mounted member to maintain the ring againstrotation from any desired annular position.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important featuresof the invention in order that the detailed description thereof thatfollows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which thisdisclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designingof other structures for carrying out the several purposes of theinvention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded asincluding such equivalent construction as do not depart from the spiritand scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification wherein:

The single FIGURE is a perspective sectional view of one example ofapparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a hollow cylindrical hub3 of the drive roller 2 is fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 1 andsupports a rotating ring 4 through needles 5, 5' for rotary and axialmovement. Lubricant for the needles is prevented from escaping laterallyby labyrinth packing rings. The contact surface 7 of the rotating ring 4is provided with grooves 8, 8' which serve, among other things, toimprove removability of a thread which has entangled on the runningsurface 7. The rotating ring 4 is axially connected with the couplingring 35 by means of a ball bearing 37, which renders possible axialshifting of the rotating ring 4. Such axial movement of the rotatingring 4 is limited by a circular annular coupling disc 10 which isrigidly connected with the hub 3 by means of screws ll, 11' and runs atequal speed with the hub. On the inner face of the coupling disc, thereare provided gliding bolts 13, the inner faces of which are pressed bymeans of springs 12 so that the opposite ends thereof contact thelateral face of the ring 4. The mobility of bolts 13 is axially limited,and upon contact with the lateral face of the rotating ring 4, thesebolts effect its soft or gradual acceleration up to normal workingspeed. Bores 14 .in the coupling disc 10 enable tightening screws 15,which each have a conical head 16 and conical tightening bolts 18arranged in bores 17 in the hub, to be tightened and loosened. Whentightening the screws 15, their conical heads 16 and the tighteningbolts 18, the shape of the end of which (not shown) corresponds to theconical head 16, are pressed against resilient segments 19 which, bypressure against the driving shaft 1 effect engaging contact between theshaft and the hub 3.

At the end opposite the coupling disc of the rotating ring 4, its axialshiftability is limited by a stationary braking disc 20 on the side ofwhich, facing the lateral face of the rotating ring 4, are arrangedgliding bolts 22 of limited axial movement, pressed against the rotatingring 4 by means of pressure springs for soft braking of rotation ofthe-ring 4 until the same is immobilized. The braking disc. 20 isconnected by means of screws 27 with an exteriorly threaded ring 23supported on a flange 26 by means of a ball bearing, and the flange 26is in turn fixedly mounted on the hub 3. Six fixing screws 27, and fourinterior screws 29 are used to assemble the disc 20, ring 23 and bearingcover 28, as shown. The bearing cover 28 itself is fixed in a dampeningcylinder 31 which is supported in a torsional moment support 33 fixed onthe frame part 34 of the machine by means of two screws 32, 32.

A hollow cylindrical coupling 35 encloses the rotating ring 4 from thelabyrinth packings 38 to the threaded ring 23. An interior thread 36provided at the end of the coupling ring 35 engages the exterior thread24 of the stationary threaded ring 23. The coupling ring 35 is supportedon the rotating ring 4 by means of a ball bearing 37, the exterior ringof the ball bearing being fixed to the coupling ring 35, and the innerring of ball bearing 37 being fixedly mounted on the rotating ring 4.The ball bearing 37 is secured against lubricant loss by means oflabyrinth packings 38, 39. This arrangement of the coupling hub makespossible selective axial shifting of the coupling ring 4 in a range ofmovement between the coupling disc to effect rotational acceleration ofthe ring, and the braking disc effecting deceleration of same to a stop,by turning the coupling ring 35, the axial movement being effected bythe threads 24, 26.

For fixing the position of the coupling ring 35, the same is providedwith a profiled or knurled ring 41; and a resting piece 44 of sheet ironfixed on a frame part 34 by means of two screws 43, 43' carries aresilient pressure piece 46 mounted by means of two screwnuts 45, 45which, by means of a resilient resting piece 47, presses on the profiledrim 4] of the coupling ring 35 and thereby effects its fixation. Thisresting piece permits any desired position of the rotating ring 4between the working and braking positions since, in absence of thisapparatus, the bearing friction of the rotating ball bearing 37 wouldeffect rotational movement of the coupling 35 on the thread 24, 36.

When the rotating rotating ring 4 is braked, insertion of the stationaryyarn is effected between the stationary contact surface 7 of the drivingroller 2 and the periphery of a delivery roller 48. Contact and removalof this roller 48 with ring 4 is effected by actuation of a lever 50 ofa known pressure device 49 fixed on the machine frame 34' whichtransmits a defined and constant pressing force to the delivery rollervia a shaft 51 and a shoulder piece 52. If a safety force existingwithin the housing of the pressing device which essentially exceeds thisconstant pressing force is exceeded, e.g. owing to the formation ofwrappings around one of the rollers or to other irregularities in yarntransport, the pressing device 49 automatically disengages the deliveryroller 48 from the driving roller and interrupts thread delivery. It isobvious to personslacquainted withthe textile art that the deliveryroller 48 can thus be connected with the coupling ring 35 by a switchingbar system so that approach or removal of the roller 48 relative to therotating ring 4, effects braking or acceleration of the rotating ring ofthe driving roller 2 caused by simultaneous proportional movement of thecoupling ring 35 and that, inversely, the rotation of the coupling ringwhich effects braking or acceleration of the running ring 4 causesremoval of the roller 48 from the moving periphery 7 of the rotatingring or pressing thereof against the same.

The advantages of the apparatus of the present invention consist in thatthe construction of the hub for mounting and demounting makes possibleeasy fastening of the driving roller on the driving shaft and equallyeasy loosening of the engaging 7 connection. It is particularlyadvantageous that, because of soft or gradual acceleration of the driveroller from immobility to the highest working speed, stationary yarnseven of the finest titers may be threaded and inserted at speeds evenexceeding l,000 m/min, in connection with a delivery roller whichexercises constant pressure on the rotating periphery of the driveroller without the danger of yarn breakage or structural changes in thesame by excessive stretching because of too high acceleration.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described which is operable at selectedindividual processing stations of a multi-station textile machinewherein the yarn delivery devices of all stations are driven by a commondrive shaft, each delivery device consisting of a rotatable drivingroller, as well as of a delivery roller which may be disengaged from themoving surface of the drive roller and brought into linear contact withthe same and which, by means of resilient devices coupled with thelatter, exercise a constant pressure the amount of which is not limited,but may not be influenced manually, characterized in that a rotatingring (4) formed with at least one conical groove (8) on its outersurface and supported for rotation and axial displacement on a hub (3)engagingly connected with a drive shaft (1) of a driving mechanism (2)may be brought selectively into contact with a coupling disc (10)effecting rotational acceleration of the same or with a braking disc(20) effecting its immobilization by means of a rotatable coupling ring(35) effecting axial movement thereof, and in that the rotating andaxial movement of the coupling ring may be adjusted, the grooved surfaceof said rotatable ring facing the delivery roller.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the couplingring (35) is mounted on the rotating ring (4) via a ball bearing (37) bymeans of an exterior ring of the ball bearing (37) in the coupling ring(35) and an inner ring of the ball bearing (37) on the rotating ring(4), furthermore, that on the end of the coupling ring (35) facing thebrake disc 20), there is arranged a thread (36) which is engaged with athreaded ring (23) effecting axial shifting of the rotating ring (35upon rotation of the coupling ring (35) and in that the coupling ring(35) is provided with a profiled rim (41) for fixing its rotational and,therefore, also of its axial movement.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the brakingdisc (20) is rigidly arranged on a frame part (34) of the machine bymeans of a threaded ring (23) with retaining screws (27) and by means ofa bearing cover (28) with screws (29), a shoulder screw (30) and adampening cylinder (31) as well as by means of a torsional momentsupport (33).

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the brakingdisc (20) is supported by means of threaded ring (23) and a ball bearing(25) on a bearing flange (26) which is rigidly connected with the hub(3) of the drive shaft (2).

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that on the brakedisc (20) on the side facing the rotating ring (4),

there are provided slidable bolts (13) resiliently fixed by,

means of pressure springs (12) with axially limited mobility for softlybraking the rotating ring (4).

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the couplingdisc (10) is rigidly connected with the hub 3) at the end of the drivingshaft (2) facing the braking disc 20) for effecting synchronous runningwith the hub (3).

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, on the side ofthe coupling disc (10) facing the rotating ring (4), there are arrangedgliding bolts (22) resiliently fixed by means of pressure springs (21)with axially limited mobility for softly accelerating the rotating ring(4).

' 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that hub (3) iscylindrical and needle bearings are positioned between the hub and therotating ring (4), and that at the ends facing the coupling disc (10)and the braking disc (20), the hub is provided with labyrinth packings(6,6) preventing loss of bearing lubricant, for permitting rotation ofthe rotating ring (4) on the hub (3).

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, on the ring(23) threading (24) is provided for axially shifting the coupling ring(35) and the rotating ring (4) and, on its side facing the flange (29),bearing means (25) for rotating the flange (26) of the hub (3) in thethreaded ring (23).

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the hub(3), concealable screws (15) with conical heads (16) and bolts (18) withconical heads are screwable, and in that resilient segments (19) arepositioned against the drive shaft and may be tightened thereagainst bythe concealable screws (15) and the bolts (18). 1

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame part(34) is provided with a resting piece (34) of sheet iron and with apressure piece (46) resiliently fixed thereon with a spherical restingpiece (47) resiliently fixed thereon for engaging the profiled rim (41to fix the position of the coupling ring (35).

1. Apparatus of the class described which is operable at selectedindividual processing stations of a multi-station textile machinewherein the yarn delivery devices of all stations are driven by a commondrive shaft, each delivery device consisting of a rotatable drivingroller, as well as of a delivery roller which may be disengaged from themoving surface of the drive roller and brought into linear contact withthe same and which, by means of resilient devices coupled with thelatter, exercise a constant pressure the amount of which is not limited,but may not be influenced manually, characterized in that a rotatingring (4) formed with at least one conical groove (8) on its outersurface and supported for rotation and axial displacement on a hub (3)engagingly connected with a drive shaft (1) of a driving mechanism (2)may be brought selectively into contact with a coupling disc (10)effecting rotational acceleration of the same or with a braking disc(20) effecting its immobilization by means of a rotatable coupling ring(35) effecting axial movement thereof, and in that the rotating andaxial movement of the coupling ring may be adjusted, the grooved surfaceof said rotatable ring facing the delivery roller.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling ring (35) ismounted on the rotating ring (4) via a ball bearing (37) by means of anexterior ring of the ball bearing (37) in the coupling ring (35) and aninner ring of the ball bearing (37) on the rotating ring (4),furthermore, that on the end of the coupling ring (35) facing the brakedisc (20), there is arranged a thread (36) which is engaged with athreaded ring (23) effecting axial shifting of the rotating ring (35)upon rotation of the coupling ring (35) and in that the coupling ring(35) is provided with a profiled rim (41) for fixing its rotational and,therefore, also of its axial movement.
 3. Apparatus according to claim1, characterized in that the braking disc (20) is rigidly arranged on aframe part (34) of the machine by means of a threaded ring (23) withretaining screws (27) and by means of a bearing cover (28) with screws(29), a shoulder screw (30) and a dampening cylinder (31) as well as bymeans of a torsional moment support (33).
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 2, characterized in that the braking disc (20) is supported bymeans of threaded ring (23) and a ball bearing (25) on a bearing flange(26) which is rigidly connected with the hub (3) of the drive shaft (2).5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that on the brakedisc (20) oN the side facing the rotating ring (4), there are providedslidable bolts (13) resiliently fixed by means of pressure springs (12)with axially limited mobility for softly braking the rotating ring (4).6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the couplingdisc (10) is rigidly connected with the hub (3) at the end of thedriving shaft (2) facing the braking disc (20) for effecting synchronousrunning with the hub (3).
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that, on the side of the coupling disc (10) facing therotating ring (4), there are arranged gliding bolts (22) resilientlyfixed by means of pressure springs (21) with axially limited mobilityfor softly accelerating the rotating ring (4).
 8. Apparatus according toclaim 1, characterized in that hub (3) is cylindrical and needlebearings are positioned between the hub and the rotating ring (4), andthat at the ends facing the coupling disc (10) and the braking disc(20), the hub is provided with labyrinth packings (6,6'') preventingloss of bearing lubricant, for permitting rotation of the rotating ring(4) on the hub (3).
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized inthat, on the ring (23) threading (24) is provided for axially shiftingthe coupling ring (35) and the rotating ring (4) and, on its side facingthe flange (29), bearing means (25) for rotating the flange (26) of thehub (3) in the threaded ring (23).
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that, in the hub (3), concealable screws (15) withconical heads (16) and bolts (18) with conical heads are screwable, andin that resilient segments (19) are positioned against the drive shaftand may be tightened thereagainst by the concealable screws (15) and thebolts (18).
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe frame part (34) is provided with a resting piece (34) of sheet ironand with a pressure piece (46) resiliently fixed thereon with aspherical resting piece (47) resiliently fixed thereon for engaging theprofiled rim (41) to fix the position of the coupling ring (35).